Aimed Right
by TurnAroundTime
Summary: Tess gets a few pointers in Archery, but still remained true to being a pirate. AthenaXTess... I know, weird right? lol


**Aimed Right **

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Athena X Tess

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Very unconventional, even unrealistic. And let's no forget about the possible age gap here, Athen being probably a hundred years old or more. But hey, Tess is half elf too, so go figure.

Basically, I just wanted to write this. I hope none of you mind.

Enjoy

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She took a deep breath, eased her mind to a relaxed state, focused, and then released.

The arrow sliced through air and struck the middle red dot of the board. Gracefully she pulled another arrow, making sure her attention, her meditated state remained solid.

A moment to look, a moment to see, and a moment to strike – the aims of an archer.

But the dojo suddenly held host to another being. She rolled on the floor and quickly recovered with the bow aimed at the pillars supporting the ceiling.

Before she could release, she saw a double barrel pointing down at her, the owner bearing a smirk that she can decipher even beyond the darkness.

"Hey, gorgeous." A young man greeted, and leaped down.

The elf sighed, out of frustration and relief, but her face bore the same expression she would've had for a real burglar.

"Give me one good reason why is shouldn't arrest you, Tess."

He slipped the large pistol back in its holster when he saw the beautiful archer lower her aim. Of course, that could also mean she was planning to shot his manhood, but he knew her well enough to see targets being focused in her amazing eyes.

"I can give you two." The pirate said, adjusting the tip of his wide hat, "Your guards would be wasting their time trying to catch me."

He eyed her covetously in her training yukata. In all of Victoria Island, heck, in any island and any world, he had never desired anyone as strongly as he desired her, and now he was seeing her again, curvy, slender, and mesmerizing, het got reminded of that fact.

"And also, I have a feeling you would want to see me."

A fling of the string sends the arrow flying towards him and striking the ground directly beneath the area between his legs. The stem protruded up and started swaying and slapping on his groin.

"Oops." The elf remarked. "Sorry, my hand slipped."

Tess gulped. Granted, he may be way over his head on this one. He decided to take it a slow turn.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat nervously, not bothering the idea of having his private parts healed, "So you WERE aiming for my pants. I'll take that as a compliment."

She rolled her eyes and sat on the floor, laying the bow beside her.

With arms raised like he was being frisked Tess stepped away cautiously from the arrow and continued his advances.

"You weren't in the party last night." He said, stopping a few paces from her.

"I was too tired."

"Cygnus was disappointed. She wanted you to make the toast. It's not every day you get to thrash the Black Mage."

He saw her lips move a bit, usually indicating a smile or something close to it. But he didn't want to press. He removed his hat and threw himself on the floor with her, but stretching his leg out instead of having them tucked underneath his bums like she did. Brown, uncooperative locks escaped in all directions and he quickly rummaged his own head with a grunt.

"I hate this hat." He mumbled.

From across him the elf giggled.

She looked away, less it became too obvious. Unfortunately, he had caught on and was scooting closer to her. To make a point, she picked up the bow and began inspecting the frame.

He stopped. He wouldn't want his manhood to dance with death again.

He cleared his throat, and began. "So,"

"Why are you here?" she asked softly, but coldly.

He smirked again. "I wanted some attention."

"Then go play with your sister."

"Oh, that's no way to talk about your best friend. Besides, it's not her attention I wanted." He said, leaning forward now that he was but a few paces away. The last time he was this close to her was during the explorer's orientation program. Her smile and her voice swept every guy off their feet, and he would've been furious, if he wasn't so happy to see her again.

With tenderness, and a little bit of husky seriousness, he whispered her name. "Athena."

"I'm not your baby-sitter anymore, Tess. Stop bothering me." She said, shifting in her spot so she was facing the other way.

"I never remembered you to be one." Tess said, "Well, I guess taking care of an entire village would grant you."

She didn't reply to that. The silken fabric coats her back so well he could see her shoulder blades and the long of her back. He gazed at it, up and down, getting drawn into the elven beauty he had taken to remember.

Slightly above was her hair, green and smooth. Tess licked his lips and reached out. Two of his fingers managed to get in between a couple of strands and they felt like fluid. He slid them down, feeling as well the lean, firm muscles on her back.

He pulled his hand and realized he had held his breath. Athena looked at her accusingly for a moment, and he replied with a disarming smile.

With a huff and an air of pride she pulled her hair across her shoulders and began to comb it smooth.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" Tess asked, "You used to let me comb and braid your hair. It often came out bad, but you were always happy."

The movement of her hands slowed down ever so slightly and Tess saw a very light pink blotch on each of her cheeks, indicating a smile. She was probably recalling it as well.

"But when things started getting serious, you cut your hair. You hated it, because you said you looked like a boy. Still you decided on it because you said it was bothering your duties."

He moved closer, cautiously, watching every possible motion she'd make on that bow, and again pulled on some of hair. He took up on his face and rubbed his nose, smelling the scent of sun, and wind, and mild hints of apples – when he registered this, he grinned.

Athena might've humoured him so far, but she didn't like the perverted look in his eyes so she pulled back her hair like it was being stolen.

"As for me," Tess continued, "I didn't matter. I got to see your neck." He gently traced his thumb on the curve of her neck, and he got to appreciate the way her figure shudders. She still has the same ticklish parts.

"And I knew that, for you, it was like baptism – a declaration of bearing the weight of the world on your shoulders." He eyed her creamy skin before looking at the floor, "That's when you started being our leader, and when you stopped by my friend."

She shifted again – away from him.

"That's when you stopped seeing me."

The bow remained resting by her. He stealthily snagged the bridge and started glazing his finger on the string.

"So when I found you in the orientation, I was afraid that you found someone to comb your hair for you."

"You should be a Thief." Athena interjected, "You're good at sneaking at people and grabbing what belongs to them" Athena said softly, still carrying the weight of his words in her voice.

Tess chuckled and flipped his pirate's coat as he stood up, "That's true. But it wouldn't work out too well."

"Why not?"

"I couldn't even steal one person's heart."

Across the training room he saw a couple of round target boards, thicker than a golem's block, but each penetrated right through in the middle.

"But I would love to learn being an archer." He said, looking at the range with one eye and measuring proximity with his thumb. "That way, I would've been able to strike my target where she'd immediately fall for me."

He quickly took an arrow from a nearby quiver, aimed, and released. The arrow flew straight, but didn't strike the bull's eye. He snapped his tongue between his teeth and let his arms dangle on his sides.

"Sadly, I wasn't built for precision." With his free left hand he pulled on his pistol and aimed, "But I'm not without my resilience. If I can't take it out with one shot, I'll throw in the rain."

He pulled the hammer, but then decided against it. A bullet will leave a burn mark, not just a hole. And those boards are made of wood.

"Still," he said, face turning blank to hide the frustration, "I'm running out of bullets. I'm running out of tricks. I'm running out hope." He placed the gun back in the holster, a little too heavily, like he was putting in something other the gun. His shoulders rose slightly and then dropped in a more or less dramatic sigh.

"I couldn't even make you see me anymore."

His tone was that of a child who strove and prided himself of something, only to learn it's all in vain.

"I do see you," she said weakly.

"No, Athena. You look at me, but you never see me. Not since we escaped to Victoria, which was so many years ago. Not since people started relying on you for survival. All you see is a lazy-assed kid who wants to impress his crush."

"I have grave responsibilities, Tess."

"I know that!" He said almost angrily, facing the still calm looking archer. "You think I fell in love with you overnight? I watched you, Athena, at work, in pain, in joy – I've seen the burden you bear and I know the weight you carry."

"No you don't."

"I do! If I didn't I would've kidnapped you long time ago and took you to a place where it'd be just the two of us."

Long, green strands get tucked behind pointy ears. Tess remembered seeing her do that when they were kids and it would always make him gawk at her. It still does. But as she turned her head slightly to show her beautiful face, his admiration got drowned by guilt. The mere sadness in her emerald eyes felt like an accusation.

She gave a small smile and then asked, "Why didn't you?"

Tess was at a lost for words. He didn't have an answer to that. Athena had always been an iron-will right down to the very core. Nothing breaks her.

She turned to face the other way, and so did he.

With voice a bit shaken, he began, "I never knew how you felt. I was afraid, because I …"

Slowly he began putting the pieces in. All this time, all she wanted was an escape – away from the duties of an instructor, away from the bow and the arrow, away from the black mage and away from the alliance.

Away from the world.

All this time, it was him who didn't really see how she truly felt.

"Tch, missed again." Tess chastised himself quietly, gritting his teeth and squeezing the bow in his hand. But with as much frustrated will he got pent up he swooped down and snagged another arrow. He made a clumsy yet concentrated aim, face contorted with anger.

"I should've been a thief." He said softly, "I should've stolen you away from all this."

He was about to release the arrow, when a dextrous hand crawled up his arm and encased his fingers.

"Too tense. Relax your hold." She said, face barely a breath away from him. "Relax." She said again, coaxing his touch with a brush of her rough fingers on his.

"Okay."

Her other hand landed on his braced shoulder, and she gave her a light squeeze. "Relax your shoulders as well. Come on."

The term 'relax' wasn't making sense to him, her being so close and smelling so nice. Still, he did his best and breathed out all stress from a few moments ago. With her fingers continuously glazing his, he was struggling to prevent a grin from appearing.

"Good. That's good. Now, angle your hips slightly to the side and let your body follow." The instructions left her lips softly and his face almost followed the moist breath like a dog. Athena pulled him by the waist when she saw her face inching closer, and it snapped the guy into focus.

He shifted until he was facing the target almost sideways.

"That's the right form. Now, look at your target."

"I am."

She turned to him and saw he was staring at her, no longer bothering to hide the grin.

It had been so long since he last stared at her this close. So long, yet those features which captured him still renders him powerless up to the present. Her face barely changed, escape to mature beautifully. The bridge of her nose is still thin, and her eyelashes are still impossibly long, like they'd tangle with each other.

Her cheeks, still thick and flushed, are still the peach blossoms he had learned to describe them.

His grin grew even wider, and her blush grew redder.

"The board, Tess."

"Right. The board."

He decided to humour her, and turned to face the 'real' targets. For a moment, Athena left him, only to place herself behind him, rest her head on his left shoulder, and whisper the next instructions.

"Take a moment to look at the target." She whispered, so close to his ear. "Let it enter your senses. Each angle. Each contour. Each detail."

_I've always looked at you, and I haven't looked at anyone else. Everything about you I know, from the tiniest details, to the peeves that set you off, to your greatest nightmares, and most beautiful dreams. Yes, I've looked at you since I first laid eyes on you, and I have not let any detail amiss._

"Take a moment to SEE your target." She said, emphasizing the word like it was sacred, "You have to understand it. Appreciate it's 'being there'…"

_You've always been so far from my reach, always beyond me. And when we talk, it's never without a scowl or a scold, or a wave of disappointment. As for me, I never get tired of making you cranky. You get so flushed easily, and your skin is so delicate it changes colour to the slightest shift of mood. I have to admit, I'm like this simply because I enjoyed seeing your adorable mood changes. _

He was staring at her again, this time, not with the cheeky grin, but with a hypnotized, longing look. Athena stopped in the middle of her instructions and looked back.

Without bothering to look in the direction he was shooting, Tess released the string with the arrow. He didn't see it hit the bull's eye.

Tess couldn't care less about the target board. But he knew the only target he'd want to claim was right there with him, holding on to him. When Athena decided to release him, he turned to put his arms around her waist and to put her into place.

"Ah, no."

"I think I just maimed my target, don't you?" he asked huskily, breathing the words on her ticklish nose.

He saw her eyes flutter slightly against the warmth, and felt her body lose some of its strength against his hold.

"I… there are students… waiting for me…"

"Then let them wait." He interjected, "We're having our own private lessons."

"Tess, I have duties. People expect a lot from me." Athena said, putting her hands on his chest but making no effort to push his leaning body away.

"People will always have expectations, but they will never be satisfied. Let's go, Athena. The world is at peace."

"For now. Evil lurks in the silence. You of all people should know this. You've spent enough time in Elin forest."

With his face leaning down, Athena was force to lean back, even with an arm possessively preventing her from doing so.

His grinned turned sly if it was even possible and he nuzzled his nose on her cheek, which was turned as a last stand of conservatism.

"Then let the evil of the world rise. We will fight. You, me, and the many children we'll make – we'll have our own silent crusade."

The red on her face scattered even more, and Tess was overjoyed for this.

"Ridiculous." She said.

The door at the far end of the training room suddenly made an unwelcome sound of knocks.

"Lady Athena." The squire spoke from behind the door, "The next batch of explorers has arrived in Victoria. Most of them are anxious to meet you."

She looked into Tess eyes, and so no traceable expression – no anger, no sadness. He wore his face blank, like he was letting her decide for both of them.

She knew the fact that she let him hold her like this was already an indication of something. But things must be as they should.

She turned her face away from him and spoke loudly to the door's direction, "I'll be right there- MMFT!"

"I'm sorry, my lady. Can you repeat that, please?"

The squire got no follow up on the muffled acknowledgement of the elf, as the sneaky young pirate has planted his lips firmly on hers, silencing her to witless vulnerability. The act was outrageous, the first thing Athena registered in her mind, but it was the pleasure she has denied herself for so many years.

Tess was afraid she'd claw his eyes out for doing this. Luckily, he just got a surprised squeezed on his arms, but after that he felt her relax under his hold. Her arms then move up to his neck where she pulled him gently.

The kiss turned fluid over the minutes, like their lips have become one in the motion. Tess have fantasized her lips to be soft, and leaving an after taste of some ancient fruit. Well, in this case, apples would be a preferred description, but her flavour was beyond words.

After a while, they parted, slightly breathless and without a clue on what to do next.

"I love you." He whispered, with the bottom of his lips still brushing against hers.

He got a giggle in response. He wasn't satisfied with that, so he dove down her neck and began suck on her flesh aggressively. The sudden sensation forced her body up and her arms to hold on him for dear life.

She gasped and made a slight grunt.

"Lady Athena, are you okay?" the squire spoke again, concerned with meagre response he got or the lack thereof.

Tess stopped himself before he could go any further and stared her down. "Your reply?"

The still ditsy elf, half smiling and half groggy, just pulled him to another kiss.

"I love you too."

"Lady Athena! Please answer!" the squire persisted. Her duties were beckoning for her.

But Tess has her now.

The pirate pulled his pistol and shot several rounds on the target board, creating a smiley out of the holes he punctured. He hoofed at the smoking barrels and wiggled his eyebrows at the unimpressed archer.

"Those are gun shots! Lady Athena, I'm coming in."

Accompanied with a couple of guards, the young squire struck the door down.

"Lady Athena!"

"Hello fellas!" Tess greeted the panicking lot, pulling the elf closer to him. "I now claim your lady as mine. A stolen treasure, from the lot of you."

"You fiend! Guards!"

"Oh, come now, boy. You wouldn't really want to shot at your own mistress, do you?" Tess dared, putting his face closer to Athena's.

The helpless teen gritted his teeth in anger, and looked apologetically at his lady. "Forgive me, Lady Athena."

"It'll be fine. Take care of the dojo while I'm gone." She smiled, giving her own silent apology. She felt bad for giving them this problem, especially to her trusted squire.

From the window up in the ceiling a rope rolled down, dangling from an airship that had been waiting for them. And with the prize in his arms the young pirate flew up.

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The end.

I know it may seem odd, or awkward, but I just wanted to right something about Athena, and ... well, frankly, Tess was the first thing that came into mind.

I hope you like it. Otherwise, well, just tell me what you think, okay? thanks!

BTW, I play in Scania. I'm with a lvl110 Markman. Haha! Just to share. I'm not that good in game anyway, but I love the concept, the animation, and the playing features.


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